Rules of Engagement
by Jedi Sapphire
Summary: While their elders are in Council, the younger Elves must find a way to expend their excess energy and train at the same time. Because training is always important.


**Disclaimer: **Everything belongs to the Professor.

**Author's Note: **So once upon a time, in some story or other (I rather think it was _The Weapons Master_), I mentioned "Legolas' forsaken Sindarin game". This is that.

Also… This is really, _really _not supposed to make a lot of sense.

Many thanks to Melethril for prodding and poking and not giving up until I wrote this. ;-)

**Summary: **While their elders are in Council, the younger Elves must find a way to expend their excess energy and train at the same time. Because training is always important.

* * *

**Rules of Engagement**

**Rule Number One: Esgalorne is not a game. Esgalorne is a training exercise.**

"I cannot _believe_ you persuaded my father to agree to this," Elladan complained. "I said I wanted to go riding – _riding _– and he lectured me for thirty-five minutes about the importance of maintaining propriety during a Council involving the leaders of all the remaining Elven realms of Middle-earth. And he gave you permission to play your forsaken Sindarin game –"

"Esgalorne is not a _game_!" Legolas said, outraged.

"That may be how you justify it to yourself," Elladan said dryly. "But I doubt even _you _would have dared make that argument to my father, Legolas."

"Why does it seem so incredible to you that Master Elrond should have given me permission to practice Esgalorne?"

"We are speaking of the Master Elrond who is my father?"

"I did not know there was another. We are speaking of _your _father, Lord Elrond, Master of Imladris. Whom else would I ask for permission?"

"My _father_?"

Legolas turned to Elrohir. "Is he ill?"

"I suppose he could be." Elrohir frowned at his twin, his thoughtful expression doing little to hide the mirth in his eyes. "There _are _Rangers in Imladris. He might have contracted a Mortal illness. Although I can think of no Mortal illness that would cause this reaction. Indeed, it is –"

"I am _not _ill!" Elladan burst.

"Indeed, _gwador nîn_," Legolas said brightly. "You gladden my heart. I would be grieved if you were ill. But then why –"

"_My _father?"

"Again?" Legolas asked.

"Perhaps it comes and goes," Elrohir suggested. "Do you feel faint, Elladan? You should lie down. You might have over-exerted yourself."

"I have _not _over-exerted myself," Elladan growled. "I am _not_ ill. And the first Elf to ask whether I am suffering from a concussion will have an answer from my sword!"

His glare included not only Legolas and Elrohir, but Legolas' friends Saeldur and Rochendilwen who, to do them justice, had not spoken a word since Legolas had emerged from Lord Elrond's study with a broad smile.

"I am only astonished," Elladan went on, "that he agreed to let you play that miserable game –"

"It is a _training exercise_!"

"To play that miserable game disguised as a training exercise. _How?_"

"Need you ask?" Elrohir patted Legolas' shoulder. "Can you not imagine the scene? Elrond Eärendilion, stern and noble Elf-lord, drawing himself up in silent horror at the idea of the Council of the Elven Realms being sullied by something as frivolous as a training exercise. And then the Elfling with his eyes wide, pouting – yes, just like he is doing now. The stern and noble Elf-lord never had a chance!"

"It was a reasonable request," Legolas pointed out. "They have already told us our presence is not required after lunch."

"I doubt this was what he had in mind when he told us to use the afternoon to rest." Elladan shook his head, and then brightened. "On the other hand, if my father has given his leave, then all unforeseen consequences are _his_ responsibility."

* * *

**Rule Number Two: Esgalorne is played by at least two, and up to six, teams.**

"I claim Legolas!"

Elladan frowned at his sister, but before he could object, Elrohir said, "So you _are _going to join us? I thought you were not interested in our vile pursuits."

"I said that _last_ month when you asked me if I wanted to go riding with you. The trees will behave themselves with Legolas there, and I do not want to miss the opportunity of seeing you fall out of one."

"I am flattered that you think so highly of my abilities, Arwen."

Arwen smiled sweetly. "Why do you think I claimed Legolas?"

"I believe Rochendilwen and I should feel slighted," Saeldur commented with a laugh. "But under the circumstances, I do not blame you in the least, Lady Undómiel. Trees always favour the Elfling. They are abominably biased."

"How many teams are we having?" Elrohir asked.

"Three," Elladan responded. "We might have had four if Aeroniel were here. Since Legolas, Saeldur and Rochendilwen are the only ones present with experience of Esgalorne, we will have three. And _I _claim Rochendilwen."

Saeldur looked affronted.

"I mean no offense," Elladan said calmly. "It is only that I have heard how, the last time you played Esgalorne in the Woodland Realm, you and Legolas took particular pleasure in setting traps for each other. I want no part of that, _especially _not on the side against Legolas."

"Leave him be," Elrohir intervened. "You and I, Saeldur, will be the first to best the Elfling in his own trees."

"If you do manage that, it will be the first time," his twin commented darkly.

"In any case," Legolas said, "we must have more players. A team of two _can _play Esgalorne, but it is far more interesting when there are more."

A throat cleared, reminding the young Elves that they were having their discussion in the antechamber outside Lord Elrond's study, and it might be distracting to others who were waiting to meet him.

Elladan turned, apology ready on his lips, but he paused when he saw the pleading expression of the young Dúnadan.

"May we join you?" he begged. "We are here to attend on our lord, but we are not needed today. We had hoped to go riding, but…" He trailed off hopefully.

Elladan hesitated. "I do not know if that is wise, Glavrol. Esgalorne can be dangerous. I have seen that in the past."

"Prince Legolas said it was a training exercise. And we could learn so _much _if we trained with Elven warriors. Please, Lord Elladan."

Elladan bit his lip and came to a decision. "If my father and your weapons master will both give you their leave, we would welcome your company."

* * *

**Rule Number Three: Each team is entrusted with a "treasure". The objective of the game is to claim possession of all treasures that are in play. A treasure remains in play as long as the team entrusted with it has not been disqualified.**

Thorontur, Archery Master of Eryn Galen, shook his head as he wrapped strips of coloured wool around the hilts of three simple Mannish daggers.

"I still cannot believe Elrond consented to this," he commented to Glorfindel, who was watching. "Though I am not surprised that he banned Arwen from playing."

"It is not suitable for anyone who was not raised to be a warrior," Glorfindel agreed. "I notice that Thranduil did not object either. And I foresee no problems. Thranduil and Elrond will be in Council. The children will be in the forest. It cannot possibly disturb anyone."

"At any rate, Elrond will have only himself to blame for any unforeseen consequences."

"Do you expect any?"

"There are always unforeseen consequences to Esgalorne," Thorontur said darkly. "That is what makes it valuable as a training exercise." He finished trying off the last strip of wool and laid the three daggers on the table. "Take them."

Legolas, Saeldur and Rochendilwen stepped forward, each picking up one of the daggers and exchanging smiles as they moved back.

"Good," said Thorontur. "From this moment until the end of the exercise, none of you will be held to your oaths of obedience to your commanding officers. Now go."

* * *

**Rule Number Four: Immediately after the game has begun, participants have fifteen minutes to climb into the trees. After that, a participant's feet may not touch the ground for more than thirty seconds.**

The six Elves and nine Men stood in a circle around Thorontur. Arwen's place had happily been filled by Glorfindel. Elladan and Elrohir had protested strenuously – neither of them wanted to be on the opposite side of a training exercise from the Balrog-slayer.

Saeldur, however, had shrugged and commented that the ability to slay creatures of Morgoth was irrelevant to Esgalorne, and that if they lost it would not be because of Glorfindel but because Legolas' persuasiveness could turn the most honourable of trees into a perfidious liar. There the matter had rested.

"As soon as the signal is given," Legolas murmured softly, "you and your Men, Glavrol, turn east and make for the trees. We only have fifteen minutes, and it will take you that long to run to the forest and make yourselves secure in the branches."

"And what do you want me to do?" Glorfindel whispered.

Legolas smiled. "Come with me, my lord, if you will. We have to make our treasure safe, after all."

"You will not keep it on your person?"

"There is no rule that says I must."

"I was under the impression that Esgalorne had no rules."

"That is not so, Lord Glorfindel. There are rules." Legolas' smile broadened. "And the most important rule is to trust nobody."

Legolas' fingers went to the dagger tucked into his belt. He slid it out and slipped it into his tunic. A few feet away, Saeldur frowned at the movement. Legolas met his eyes with a guileless smile that did not deceive his friend in the least.

"You," Saeldur murmured to Elrohir, "track Legolas. You have experience tracking in the woods around Imladris. Track Legolas and note everywhere he goes and everything he does. And above all, do not believe a word the trees tell you about Legolas' location. In fact, do not believe a word the trees tell you at all. Unless the evidence of your own eyes tells you otherwise – and not always then – assume that the trees are lying."

Elrohir snorted inelegantly. "I would like to see the trees try to conceal information from me. I will _not _be bested in my own home by the Elfling whom I taught to read."

"That is precisely the attitude that will result in a defeat. And make no mistake, Elrondion: we _will _lose unless we can convince the trees to drop Legolas."

"That is your commanding officer," Elrohir pointed out. "And one of my closest friends." Saeldur simply raised an eyebrow, and Elrohir laughed. "Well, you _have _been relieved of your oath of obedience. Now I see why. We can certainly try, but I doubt we will ever persuade the trees to betray their beloved Elfling."

Across the clearing, Elladan's eyes flickered from his twin to Legolas and Glorfindel.

"Legolas is pleased. Is that the All-the-Trees-of-Middle-Earth-Have-Already-Promised-Me-Their-Aid smile?" he whispered to Rochendilwen.

She stifled a laugh. "That is one way of describing it. What possessed me to agree to this I do not know."

"What possessed my father to agree to this I do not know. Do we have a plan?"

"Stay out of the way," Rochendilwen said. "You were correct in your assumption that Saeldur and Legolas will go after each other. They always do; it is practically a game to them."

"I thought Esgalorne _was _a –"

"Esgalorne is a _training exercise_."

Before Elladan could respond to that, Thorontur clapped his hands for silence.

"You have fifteen minutes from… _Now_."

* * *

**Rule Number Five: Opposing players may be captured by forcing them to the ground for more than thirty seconds. A captured player must yield all treasures in his or her possession to the capturing team. This is the only occasion on which a player is not permitted to lie to, misdirect or otherwise deceive the opposing team. The captured player may then return to the game.**

"_Drop him!_" Legolas hissed.

The trees of Imladris were not accustomed to the training exercise, and so it was a moment before the oak responded to the order. That gave Saeldur enough time to get a firm hold on the branch.

"Elrohir!" he called. "_Now!_"

He looked to his left as he did, and Legolas involuntarily followed his gaze. With a laugh, Saeldur whispered his own command to the trees.

The trees, as he had expected, bristled angrily at the thought of being told to drop their favourite Elf. The one holding Legolas jerked angrily, pulling him closer. That was enough to make the Elf-prince lose his balance –

But Saeldur already knew it would not be enough. Legolas, in control of his fall, landed lightly on the balls of his feet. Elrohir, who had been hiding in the opposite direction from where Saeldur had looked, began to pull on a loop of rope he and Saeldur had laid on the ground earlier, in preparation.

Legolas' quick eyes caught the movement. He shook his head, looking amused, and sprang easily up again before Elrohir could pull it taut.

Saeldur was on him as soon as he gained one of the branches, knocking into him hard enough to send them both to the ground.

He forced Legolas down with a knee to his back. A moment later, Elrohir leapt down to join them and Saeldur scrambled back up.

"You should not have let us catch you alone," Elrohir said, ignoring the leaves, twigs and overripe fruit the trees were dropping on him in an attempt to make him release Legolas. "There are two of us –"

Saeldur jumped back down to take his place.

"And one of you," Elrohir concluded, reaching for a branch.

It did not strike him to be surprised that the tree allowed him to climb without trying to shake him off. Saeldur _was _surprised – he had experience of how trees treated their favourite Elf's opponents during the training exercise – but he was too distracted holding Legolas down to say anything.

"Time!" he gasped when thirty seconds had passed. "Hold, and hand it over, Legolas."

Legolas smiled, blue eyes glinting with mischief. "You have been wasting your time. I have nothing."

Saeldur rolled his eyes, but after patting Legolas down he was forced to admit that his friend was telling the truth.

"Lord Glorfindel?" he enquired.

Legolas' smile widened, but he said nothing. He had been obliged to tell Saeldur the truth about whether _he _had the dagger, but there was no need for him to answer any other questions.

"I am _not _volunteering to ambush Glorfindel!" Elrohir called from above them. "He will take it out of me during training, and I have no desire to endure _days_ of footwork drills."

* * *

**Rule Number Six: A player who falls from the trees without being forced out by an opposing team will sit the exercise out for thirty minutes.**

"Stay close," Rochendilwen ordered. In the distance they could see a glint of golden hair through the foliage – either Glorfindel or Legolas.

"Believe me, I am going _nowhere_," Elladan grunted.

"Oh, we will have to move." She laid a hand on the tree trunk. _Who is that?_

The tree quivered in amusement. _It is the Balrog-slayer._

"What?" Elladan asked, seeing her frown.

"The tree claims that is Lord Glorfindel…"

"And you doubt the tree?"

Rochendilwen waved a dismissive hand. "Trees do not tell the _truth_ during Esgalorne. _Nobody _tells the truth during Esgalorne. That is the point."

"Then why ask them?"

"Elbereth! Do you know _nothing _of tracking exercises in Imladris?"

"We have normal tracking exercises," Elladan said with dignity. "We do not have –"

"So help me, Noldo, if you refer to Esgalorne as a _game_…"

"I was going to do nothing of the kind." Elladan shook his head. "I was going to refer to it as a perilous activity designed to put the fear of Eru into reckless young warriors."

"Nothing has even _happened _to you yet."

"How long is _that _likely to last?"

Rochendilwen ignored the question. "Whoever that is," she murmured, peering through the trees at the glint of gold, "we should surround him. The trees only mentioned one name and they were unanimous about it – he is probably alone. Tell the Men. If we make it difficult for him to move…"

Elladan edged along the thick branch, but he was so intent on getting to Glavrol that he failed to notice the trees rustling and whispering together.

A moment later, he was on the ground staring up at the tree in astonishment.

"_Traitor_," he hissed.

Rochendilwen, dropping to the ground beside him, shook her head. "Are you injured? No? Then make the most of the respite. I will see you in half an hour."

And she leapt back up into the tree.

* * *

**Rule Number Seven: The use of practice swords and knives is permitted in Esgalorne. Archers may use sharpened arrows.**

_Elfling! Behind you!_

That was all the warning Legolas had before, but it was enough. He pivoted easily on one foot, bringing his knives up in time to block Elrohir's sword. Even as he did, he heard movement behind him.

He leapt, catching a branch below and swinging himself lightly around it to land in another tree just beside the first. Then he allowed himself a moment to smile at an infuriated Elrohir and the human next to him.

"You are surrounded," the Elf announced.

Legolas shrugged. "I should have known trouble would come like this. You would not dare surround Lord Glorfindel."

"Lord Glorfindel is an incomparable swordsman and, even with numbers on my side, I would not dare face him. You, on the other hand…"

"I, on the other hand," Legolas agreed, turning his head slightly to track a man approaching to his left, "am not an incomparable swordsman. On the training field, you would defeat me, even without numbers on your side. We are not on the training field. Your sword is heavy, Elrondion. How will you balance…"

Legolas leapt again, snatching at a branch above him, vaulting over it, and landing on one directly above Elrohir's head.

"… when I do this?" he finished.

Immediately, one of them started to move towards Legolas. Legolas returned his knives to their sheath, pulling out his bow and an arrow in the same movement.

"Hold!" Saeldur's voice called. "Sound off."

* * *

**Corollary to Rule Number Seven: Archers should note that they will sit out the rest of the exercise if a sharpened arrow lands within eighteen inches of another player.**

"What?" Elrohir protested. "Why?"

Saeldur dropped, seemingly out of nowhere, onto a branch a few feet away. "It is done at the first drawn bow in every… skirmish. The archers must know where everybody is so that there are no accidents. We use sharpened arrows – oh, do not worry. We do not hit anybody with them."

"At least," Legolas called, "we _attempt _not to hit anybody with them. Some of us shoot like Dwarves –"

"Even Dwarves would be ashamed if their marksmanship was as terrible as yours," Elrohir retorted. "And surely you are not allowed to hit people?"

"Eighteen inches," Saeldur said, "between where an arrow lands and the nearest player. And no drawn blood."

"If there is an eighteen-inch buffer, how can there be drawn blood?"

Saeldur snorted. "Clearly, this is your first time practising Esgalorne." He raised his voice again. "Sound off."

"Everybody," Legolas added as the men began calling their names.

There was a disgruntled noise, and then Glorfindel emerged from the foliage. "This is a ridiculous rule," he proclaimed. "I spent half an hour persuading the tree to help me hide."

Legolas laughed. "Esgalorne is not an exercise for swordsmen, my lord." As the last of the men finished, he went on, "And frankly, we have more important things to think about."

"What?" Glorfindel demanded.

"Where are Rochendilwen and Elladan and their warriors?"

"Waiting for us to eliminate each other," Glorfindel muttered, drawing his own bow. "If we are not permitted to hit anyone, how is this useful?"

Legolas laughed again.

* * *

**Addendum to Corollary to Rule Number Seven: Players should note that anyone who deliberately moves close to the path of an arrow that has already been released, or sees it and chooses not to move out of the way, will sit out the exercise instead of the archer who made the shot.**

"You _Orc_!" Elladan shouted, when an arrow whizzed a hair's-breadth above his ear and through the foliage, ending on the ground several feet away. "What happened to your eighteen-inch rule?"

"It landed more than eighteen inches from you," came Legolas' retort from somewhere behind him. "And there was no blood."

Elladan turned, but before he could get off an arrow, two more flew from opposite directions. Only many years of training enabled him to stand unmoving as they passed on either side of him. When Legolas followed up with another arrow, he did give a start of surprise and nearly fell off the branch.

Taking a deep breath, he evaluated his options. Glorfindel was to his left, one of the men to his right, and Legolas directly in front. Logic dictated he try to eliminate Legolas, but…

He glanced above him, where Rochendilwen, balanced easily on a higher branch, had her bow at full draw, aimed at Legolas. She saw him and nodded.

"Get Legolas out of the way," she said softly. "Aim between him and the branch over his head."

Elladan squinted at it. "I cannot take that shot safely."

"Do not worry." Rochendilwen smiled. "He will move."

"How can you be certain?"

"Like this." She raised her voice. "Legolas!" Legolas glanced at her. "Defend yourself."

She released. A moment later, Elladan did as well.

Legolas had begun moving before Rochendilwen's fingers had left the shaft. He swung himself onto the branch above, but even with the tree's best will to help its favourite Elf, the branch was too weak to support him.

Legolas fell.

* * *

**Rule Number Eight: An exercise in progress will be suspended for forty-five minutes for meals.**

"The tree _caught _him," Elladan grumbled, scowling at Legolas across the table. "He lost his balance. He would have fallen. It _caught_ him."

"What did you expect?" Elrohir asked reasonably. "Do you think it even remotely likely that a tree will let the Elfling fall?"

"But it caught him! I _live _here, and did any of the trees bother to catch me?" He tore a piece of bread moodily in half. "We have been at this the entire morning, and we are nowhere near a resolution. And I believe," he went on, glaring at Rochendilwen, "that you are not even _trying_."

She laughed. "Victory is not the _point _of Esgalorne, Elrondion."

"_Is_ there a point to Esgalorne?"

"Practise often enough and you might learn to track in the forest."

"I _know _how to track in the forest."

Legolas scoffed. "Dwarves make less noise than you do, Noldo."

"And how would a Sindarin prince who has rarely even seen _Men _know how much noise a Dwarf makes?" Elladan kicked Legolas' shin under the table. "And as for tracking, I would like to see _you _manage it without the trees whispering to you."

"If you are trying to goad me into a tracking exercise in the mountains," Legolas said, unimpressed, "you will have to try harder. I do not like caves."

* * *

**Corollary to Rule Number Eight: Attempted sabotage of members of opposing teams at mealtimes is forbidden.**

"Do you have it?" Saeldur murmured, looking anxiously in the direction of the table where the others still sat. None of them appeared to be paying attention to him as he poured wine.

"Yes." Elrohir handed him a small pouch. "There is only enough for one. Any more and one of the Healers would notice."

"And you are certain it will do no permanent harm?"

Elrohir rolled his eyes. "Do you think I would have suggested it if I had _not _been certain? The effects last no more than a few hours. Legolas will be perfectly well tomorrow, and perfectly capable of making eyes at me until I offer him anything he wants to make up for this."

Saeldur snickered, emptying the contents of the pouch into one of the cups.

He picked it up, along with another, and went back to his place at the table. He sipped from the undoctored cup, pushing the other across the table to Legolas.

Legolas took it with a nod of thanks.

Saeldur watched him for a moment as he idly swirled the wine in his cup. Elrohir kicked his shin under the table, and he quickly ducked his head.

When Legolas finally lifted the cup to his lips, though, Saeldur sighed and said, "Legolas."

Questioning eyes met his.

"You are entirely too trusting," Saeldur muttered, pushing his own cup at Legolas. "Take that one."

Legolas shook his head, looking mildly amused, but Elrohir glared at Saeldur.

"After all the trouble I took to get it! If you were going to have ridiculous scruples at the last minute, you should have let me handle it."

"He did not even _ask _whether I had done something," Saeldur protested. "If he had at least _attempted _to make certain –"

"This is precisely why he does not. He knows that as long as he shows no suspicion, _you _will never be able to follow through. Have you learnt no better in all these years?"

"Why should I have? _You _have learnt no better. You would have stopped him if I had not."

Elrohir scowled. "The rule only forbids sabotaging opposing players, so I assume it is perfectly acceptable for me to eliminate you."

"I would like to see you try," Saeldur muttered.

* * *

**Rule Number Nine: Non-participating Elves may not render any form of assistance to participants. It is acceptable for participants to obtain assistance from trees, birds, animals or opposing teams.**

"Are you certain there is nothing I can do?" Arwen asked, sounding a little wistful. "If my brothers are going to be falling out of trees, I would like to be a part of it."

"Lord Thorontur would have my ears," Legolas said regretfully. "Your father said you were not to be involved."

"This is absurd," the _elleth _protested. "I might not be a warrior, but I am not an idiot. I _did _manage to get this far without anybody but you realizing I was in the forest at all." She gestured at the branch she was seated on. "Saeldur and Rochendilwen do not know I am here. If I can evade two of your most trusted archers…"

"I would not wager much on what Saeldur and Rochendilwen do not know." Legolas swung himself down to sit by Arwen, the branch barely shifting under his weight. "The trees here are unused to Esgalorne… They have been telling me the truth all this time. They might well have been doing the same with them."

"Trees always tell you the truth."

"Not during Esgalorne." Legolas shrugged. "Not during Esgalorne in the Woodland Realm, at any rate. Lord Glorfindel is behind you."

Arwen turned to the Elf-lord. He was clearly _trying _to appear disapproving, but his smile ruined the effect.

"I saw Elladan and Rochendilwen in conference with Saeldur," Glorfindel said softly.

Legolas laughed. "I expect they are trying to outflank us. They do not know who has the dagger –"

"I thought you did," said Arwen.

"I would never keep it on me. It is in a safe place."

"That aside," Arwen said, "can I truly do nothing?"

Legolas hesitated. "Esgalorne has rules."

"And, as you told me yourself, more than half the exercise consists of seeing how you can keep to the letter of the law while completely ignoring its spirit."

The Elf's fingers found the tree trunk. "I am not permitted to ask you for help or suggest that you offer it… But I am free to seek the assistance of trees and birds and animals and opposing teams."

"None of which I am."

"No, but if I spoke to the tree and gave it a task, and you later happened to speak to the same tree and offered to help…"

"And the opposing teams?" Glorfindel asked. "How do we obtain _their _aid?"

Legolas laughed. "In truth, my lord, I rather think _they _might be assisting each other against _us_."

"Should I be worried?"

Legolas only patted the tree and smiled.

* * *

**Corollary to Rule Number Nine: Although permitted, it is considered bad form to ask trees to drop opposing players.**

"Lady Arwen!"

Arwen turned, trying to suppress her guilty flush.

Lord Thorontur was frowning at her. "You should not be here. It is not entirely safe, and Master Elrond did not want you participating."

"I am not participating," Arwen assured him. "I am only here to observe. Legolas explained that it is forbidden for non-participants to render any form of assistance –"

"I do not doubt he did," Thorontur interrupted. "And I have trained young warriors long enough to know that they are always trying to find ways to see how far they can bend the rules." He smiled. "In truth, I encourage it. This is not a game. It is training, and the Enemy will adhere to no code of conduct. All the same, I cannot allow you to risk injury."

"But if I choose to walk in the woods…" Arwen trailed off when she realized there was no point.

"Why did Legolas send you here?"

"He said there was no rule against giving his treasure to a non-participant, provided he can produce it at the end of the game."

Thorontur laughed. "You do not have it, do you?"

Arwen could not help smiling. "I do not."

"I will tell you a secret, Lady Arwen." The older Elf's answering smile was conspiratorial. "It has been decades – possibly _centuries _– since Rochendilwen realized that, and my young warriors have been following that principle ever since. If I were to guess, I would say that all three of them have entrusted their treasures to whatever birds could carry them, and they are safely in high nests where Elven hands can never reach."

"Why?"

"Victory has never been the point of Esgalorne. What I want is to see how well they do tracking, how quick they are on the draw, and how easily they can conceal themselves in the trees. I can see that just as well without them taking the trouble of carrying the daggers about."

"But then… When will it end?"

"That depends. Today it will end when I have decided they have exhausted themselves enough that they will keep out of trouble tomorrow."

Somewhere in the forest, there was a thump and a torrent of mingled Sindarin, Quenya and Westron that made Arwen's eyes widen. Even Thorontur looked impressed.

"I had no idea your brother could question an Elf's parentage in that many languages."

"My father will have his ears if he hears."

"We will be grateful, then, that he cannot." Thorontur cocked his head, listening. "If they have already progressed to having each other flung to the ground, I will be able to call a halt soon. I doubt your father's healers want to deal with broken bones."

* * *

**Rule Number Ten: If, after a reasonable time has passed, no team has claimed victory, the judges may, at their discretion, call an end to the exercise.**

"I am not sorry it is over," Rochendilwen sighed. "I thought it would be easier here, with so few participants, but it was more complicated. And those treacherous trees!"

"The trees in Eryn Galen are just as biased in Legolas' favour," protested Elrohir.

"Aye," Saeldur said. "But we _expect _it of _them_."

"Where is Legolas, in any case?" Rochendilwen muttered, pushing away her untouched wine. "What could the King possibly want with him that could take this long?"

"I am sure he is perfectly safe," Elrohir said. "Elladan went with him, and it is unlikely any harm could come to anyone in the middle of a council in Imladris."

Rochendilwen grimaced. "Oh, I know he will be safe. I just…"

"I know," Saeldur said as she trailed off. "I am not happy about it either."

Almost on cue, the door to the sitting-room opened, and Elladan entered, closely followed by Legolas. Elrohir, Saeldur and Rochendilwen all spoke at once, demanding what had happened, but Elladan only shook his head.

"You do not want to know."

Legolas nodded assent. "I think they only summoned us to put an end to the exercise before one of the Men was injured –"

"And of course when the Master of Imladris and the King of the Woodland Realm decide to _invent _reasons to keep us occupied they can be _most _ingenious," Elladan finished.

"So long as that is all it was," Saeldur said.

Legolas met his eyes, and Elrohir was surprised to see something like apology in the Elf-prince's gaze.

"I would not willingly have made you wait. I know how you feel about it."

"At least you were finally allowed to leave," Saeldur went on with a wry smile, earning a laugh from Legolas. In response to Elladan's questioning glance, he added, "We were released from our oaths – Rochendilwen and I – for the duration of the exercise."

Elrohir understood. Eryn Galen was a kingdom at war.

Abruptly, Saeldur scrambled out of his chair and dropped to one knee. Rochendilwen followed a moment later. Neither spoke, but the bows that were held up for Legolas to take said more than words could.

* * *

THE END

* * *

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